Abuelo Nico

Some quick background information--I don't think I have gone into much detail about my host family; in short, it consists of a woman, Bella, and her father, Nicolas. Bella has no children, however, during the week, 4 kids stay here so that they can go to school in Calobre.

So. On Friday, the kids all left for their homes in neighboring communities, and Bella decided she was going to go to Panama City to spend the weekend with family. Which leaves Jenny and Grandpa Nico alone for the weekend. Seeing as: 1. Abuelo Nico is quite old, suffers from high blood pressure, and therefore walks only enough to get from the bed to the porch to the kitchen table, and 2. Bella lives with him here to take care of him in his old age (i.e. cook for him, do his laundry), I initially felt that this little getaway for Bella meant a 'babysitting' job for Jenny. As she left, she gave me a rundown of things in the house I could cook for the two of us while she was gone...and so I was, mas o menos, correct, which is fine, I guess...I felt more sorry for him, having to be at the mercy of my cooking...pobrecito.

Saturday morning, I got up and made oatmeal and boiled some plantains for breakfast (Grandpa had wanted patacones...I may or may not have mentioned these before...plantains cut up, fried, mashed, and fried AGAIN...served with ketchup, kind of like french fries...delicious, really...but I did not want any health emergencies to be happening on my watch, so he got the healthier option). He ate and I got ready to head out to the farm for the morning. On my way out, I tripped and landed on my knee.."SANTO DIOS!!" Grandpa Nico bustled over to me saying "Jenny, it's okay!" then pointing to himself, he joked "I'm a doctor!" from his shirt pocket, he pulled out a can of vicks vapor rub and slabbed some all over my knee. ..okay...maybe an icy/hot type reaction? Regardless, I praised him as a clever doctor, said thanks, and went on my way. As for the vicks healing powers...well, if nothing else, it was a comforting smell.

After a beans and rice lunch, I had just about reached the extent of my cooking abilities...When I asked him what he wanted for dinner, he smiled his nearly-toothless-smile and said, "Pizza." I had made pizza during the week, and it was a big hit; the above photo is actually him with his pizza from last week. It made me excited that he requested it. So, pizza it was, followed by a tranquilo evening of sitting and small talk...Mainly about the weather. I excused myself to go to the bathroom, and had a 'gringa-digestive-system-in-panama-moment'...I suppose it was worse than I thought, because when I returned, Nico, always smiling, very matter-of-factly said, "You have diarrhea." (Panamanians tell it how it is...if you're fat, they'll tell you...not to be mean...just stating the obvious). Luckily, Doctor Nico dangled his can of vicks at me, and directed that I rub some on my stomach. I think I was too shocked to question or argue, so I did so, only thinking, 'Man if it works, this could make a lot of Peace Corps Volunteers reeeeally happy.' Did it work? It's difficult to say. It did, however, strike my curiosity. I googled it. Señor Nico may be onto something...

Vicks Vapor Rub...not just for chests
Unique Uses for Vicks

When I had been telling my mom about Nico and his frequent use of vicks, I joked that I should throw some all over my face (the humidity/greasy food combination that is Panama is doing a real number on my skin...)...then I saw on that first webpage: "Acne Treatment-kill those zits--I have never tried this, but I hear that dabbing Vick's Vapor Rub on acne helps clear it up."

Are you kidding me?? Acne, hemorrhoids, and toe fungus, oh my...indeed.

So, we survived our weekend--
-Abuelo Nico, happy with his food, as he would say after each meal, "Barriga llena, corazón conteno."--Panamanian phrase, 'Belly full, heart content' :)
-And Jenny with a new cure-all.